Following Kurtley Beale's miss in the closing seconds of last weekend's Test, it was the Lions' turn to see victory slip away as Leigh Halfpenny's last-minute penalty attempt from nearly 60 meters fell short. The Welsh fullback had been in majestic kicking form throughout the match, but this was an attempt too far, even for him.

Australia deserved the win for persisting in the closing 20 minutes, when the Lions, eyeing a first series victory in Australia since 1989, appeared strangely subdued. After holding off wave after wave of Australian attacks, the Lions relented in the 74th minute when center Adam Ashley-Cooper crashed through from five meters out for the only try of the game.

Australia captain James Horwill's gamble had paid off. With 10 minutes to spare and the Wallabies trailing 15-9, he decided against going for a three-point penalty kick at goal, preferring instead to take a scrum and look for seven points from a converted try. Australia initially lost the ball in an attack on the tryline. But the Wallabies kept up the pressure, won back possession and, within five minutes, Ashley-Cooper barged past Jonathan Davies for a try.

Christian Leali'ifano, essentially playing his first test for Australia after being stretchered off in the first minute of his debut last weekend, converted the try and Australia took at 16-15 lead. The 25-year-old didn't miss a kick at goal throughout the match. If he had avoided injury in the first test, when James O'Connor and Beale missed several penalties, Australia might have won this series by now.

Until Australia's late show, Halfpenny had kept the score ticking over for the Lions, hitting the crossbar with his first attempt but slotting his next five to lift his team to within touching distance of the Tom Richards trophy. The opportunities kept coming in the penalty-heavy first half, but the Lions couldn't get enough possession or territory in the last quarter to close the match and seal a first series victory since the 1997 triumph in South Africa.

The first test in Brisbane was lit up by individual brilliance, but Saturday's match in Melbourne, while equally enthralling, was splattered with mistakes. Both teams were guilty of basic handling errors even though the roof at the Etihad Stadium was closed so weather conditions couldn't be blamed.

More than 57,000 spectators filled the stadium with deafening noise and at times it felt like a home match for the Lions. On the 60th minute, the strains of England's rugby anthem, "Swing Low Sweet Chariot," reverberated around the ground. The Welsh, Irish and Scottish would usually cringe upon hearing that song, but when it comes to the Lions they form a rare unity.

The Lions' fans were in full voice, galvanized by the site of winger George North careening forward with his opposite number Israel Folau hoisted on his shoulder after attempting a tackle. North's try in Brisbane was the highlight of that test, and the image of him carrying Folau is another moment that merits repeated viewing, but this was the last time the Lions showed any real bite.

The first half of the match was dominated by errors and ensuing scrums. Australia, long saddled with an unfair reputation of being poor scrummagers, was the better team in this set piece. And Ben Alexander, in his 50th match, proved too much of a handful for the Lions prop Mako Vunipola.

Vunipola, replacing the injured Alex Corbisiero, was penalized twice in the space of five minutes in the first half for collapsing the scrum, stirring memories of the 2009 tour of South Africa when another Englishman, Phil Vickery, was outplayed by Tendai Mtawarira, known as "the Beast."

The Lions lost that match, and Vickery's reputation was badly damaged. Vunipola, however, redeemed himself with some stronger scrummaging later on and powerful ball-carrying throughout the game. But Australia, through the calm kicking of Leali'ifano, had scored six valuable points from penalties that the 22-year-old Lions prop had conceded at scrums.

It means that for the third straight time, the Lions' series against Australia, a country they visit once every 12 years, will be settled by the third Test.

"We've got the finale that every neutral wanted, not the Lions fan," Lions captain Sam Warburton said after the match. "There's still a test series up for grabs and by no means is it over."

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